Supporting Sustainability as a Horse Owner
Sustainability and being kind to the planet is a core value that underpins everything we do at Equinutritive. We want to support healthy, happy horses and that includes a prosperous environment for us all to enjoy today and in the future.
Some of the ways we do this is by prioritising the use of cardboard where possible in our packaging. This allows us to significantly reduce the use of hard plastic within our business.
Why choose Equinutritive?
All our dried herbal products go into plastic wrapping which is bio-degradable and breaks down within 6 months. That’s significantly faster than most hard plastic which can take up to 500 years to break down. The plastic wrapping is then placed into a cardboard box, which doubles up as the box for shipping. By utilising this strategy, we then reduce the need for an outer shipping box and in turn reduce the amount of packaging required.
Our liquid product, Alpha Gold, comes in a fully recyclable plastic bottle and we will continue to look for more sustainable sources for liquid products as they come onto the market.
By choosing Equinutritive, you are already working towards a more sustainable future. However, there are lots of other ways you can improve your green footprint as a horse owner. We’ve listed some of our top tips below to help improve your eco-friendliness in the yard.
Our Tips For Sustainability in the Yard
Save water:
Install automatic drinkers so water isn’t wasted and make sure there’s no leaky taps trickling away at the water supply. If you do have to use water buckets, be cautious of how much you actually need and if there’s any left over then use it to water the garden so it’s not wasted.
Implement a manure management programme:
Horse manure is not considered waste in the UK if it is used as a soil fertiliser and used for agricultural land. Start a compost heap in the yard and pop your manure onto it, making sure the land can benefit from the natural fertilisation.
Car share to the yard:
Traveling with friends is not only more fun as you can have a little natter en route, but it’s also better for the environment to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. So if you have a friend who lives nearby travel together and catch up at the same time. The same applies if you’re heading to a show. Can you double up with a friend and take one horse box/ lorry instead of two?
Dig out your inner bargain hunter:
There’s lots of amazing second hand rugs, tack and other equipment on the likes of Facebook marketplace or Gumtree. Lots of this is in excellent condition so do a little bargain hunting and save some money in the process, what’s not to love!
Research sustainable riding clothes:
It’s always tempting to purchase those new jodhpurs in the latest colour, but firstly take a moment to think if you really need them. If the answer is no then think about the extra money you could save and also you’re not contributing to the ‘fast fashion’ problem. If you do need those new jodhpurs then do your research. Invest in higher quality products which will last longer, meaning you don’t need to buy as many. Also, check out the company’s environmental mission and where they source their materials, if you can’t find this then perhaps consider another brand.
By even implementing one or two of these changes, you having a positive impact on our environment and working toward a more sustainable future.